How To Use Diminished Chords Musically On Guitar

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In this guitar lesson, I'm going to show you how to build diminished chords, how to play the most practical and common diminished chord shapes and then 3 ways to use diminished chords musically on guitar.
You will leave this lesson with new knowledge on how to ACTUALLY use diminished chords in a beautiful way instead of avoiding it, like many guitar teachers suggest beginners.
Enjoy!
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► Full list of the pedals and gear I use to make music (these Sweetwater affiliate links support my work at no extra cost to you. Thank you! 😊)
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This is the Ambient Guitar youtube channel of Canadian multi-instrumentist Antoine Michaud. Through original ambient music, chordal guitar lessons and tips on guitar pedals, Antoine is looking to educate and inspire aspiring ambient musicians to learn everything about the world of ambient guitar and chordal voicings on guitar.

[@joem5089]

Can spend days, weeks, months just watching this video over and over again and learning more and more each time. Thank you...fantastic!

[@aaronbuchwald8374]

That was fantastic. It's one of the most useful and clearest explained guitar videos I've seen.

[@AntoineMichaudGuitar]

Thank you Aaron, glad you enjoyed 😊

[@AW-lj7hl]

Your whole series of 4 videos on the ‘forgotten’ chords and how to use them is very helpful and fills a gap. Essential viewing. Thanks.

[@cameronwhite9959]

Thanks, I’ve always just ignored diminished chords, and only known the shape starting on the D string. I’m going to try the other shapes ! :-)

[@soundguitar]

Love this lesson, Antoine! :) Great work

[@TomasMichaud]

Thanks! This is an excellent lesson Antoine.

[@AntoineMichaudGuitar]

Thank you, Dad... hum, I mean... Tomas :-)

[@RedBearTrading]

Another cool thing about the diminished chord - take any note in the chord and lower it a half-step and the chord becomes a dominant 7th with the lowered note being the root.

[@iggykarpov]

03:08 Diminished shapes 05:35 Three usages 05:39 1. Between two chords a tone apart 07:38 2. Travel up and down fretboard - inversions every third fret 08:17 usage example 08:58 example to cover gap between chords far apart

[@charlesarmstrong5292]

Thanks Antoine, you really are the very best guitar teacher. Another eye opener for me on the previously perceived mysteries of Diminished Chords.

[@Williamk492]

Wow! So well explained! Your videos are a treasure chest of valuable information! All the best from Belgium 🇧🇪

[@haianhnguyen9498]

you are God of teaching, musst keep your healthy ! the world need you

[@forester057]

Been needing this video for ages. Never knew where to put them even after searching for videos on the subject. They show shapes but never where to put them. Very easy to understand! Thanks for the help!

[@AntoineMichaudGuitar]

My pleasure!

[@Aminedition]

Thanks, this the best explanation so far, usually i don't finish videos about diminished chords because i feel lost every time and i quit, but this time is different the explanation is much easier. Thanks again.

[@user-ff4ni9ll8i]

Explained so clearly. Thank you so much!!

[@mustang9902]

Very good lesson. I'd love to see another video but with Augmented chords. Thank you Antoine!

[@AntoineMichaudGuitar]

It is on my to-do list of lessons to make on the channel this year. Thanks :-)

[@garymurfee4290]

This is terrific. Very practical. Thanks!

[@ericnthambeleni1334]

You are such a good teacher to be followed by a beginner like myself.

[@AntoineMichaudGuitar]

Happy to hear that! :-) thanks!

[@Castillo.musica]

Really well explained! Thanks!

[@jewelsguitar3968]

This made my life a lot better. Thanks a million! 13:13

[@psicom4060]

Best video on the subject I’ve seen. Great job.

[@rysosa7582]

Awesome lesson! Thank u sir! God bless...

[@abinvarghese4153]

Thanks Antoine. Very very clear explanation on the usage of dim.

[@Gocycle]

You were THE BEST! Finally someone who keeps it simple.

[@robbeazizo7829]

Wow. Best explanation of diminished chords and use.

[@user-un4ds8ws1p]

Wow! Antoine, I've stopped at the middle of the video to tell you thanks, and that you're a great teacher! Thank you for sharing all your knowledge!

[@isolateddemon9438]

Great lesson👏🏻

[@prashvet5859]

Wonderful wonderful teacher you are ! Super thanks

[@iamchica_music]

Seriously, You are always the best!

[@kirkwright1096]

Best demonstration of this concept that I have ever seen. 👍

[@Jongpang]

Thank you thank you!!

[@glebis11]

Bravo, thank you

[@docoli6938]

Excellent tutoriel 😊

[@generalcontrol]

Amazing. I've never thought of diminished chords that way.

[@viktorzika1245]

Cool lesson thanks :)

[@Anon_Anon]

Very cool tutorial. It helped me understand the chord progression of "I Set my face to the hillside" by Tortoise

[@lotharzander4946]

Thanks Antoine for your great teaching!

[@AntoineMichaudGuitar]

My pleasure! 😊

[@mgd9151]

Darn good lesson!!!

[@user-sv9by7vf5g]

For me You are one of the best music instructor Already subscribed 👍🧡

[@AntoineMichaudGuitar]

Thank you! 😃

[@the1khronohs40]

Oh man! I’ve tried many times to understand dim. chords, but all lessons mostly ignore them. But I love the sound of them, especially since RHCP released the Californication album, and I heard ‘Roadtrippin’. This short little lesson was ALL I needed to unlock the dim. chord, and even get good ideas on how to USE it! THANK YOU!!! ❤️

[@AntoineMichaudGuitar]

My pleasure :-)

[@odilonlorenzogonzalez3317]

Great video buddy. Subscribed

[@restitutogallardo9379]

Wow very nice lesson

[@DG5466]

Great video, concise and clear, brilliant

[@AntoineMichaudGuitar]

Thank you!

[@johncostopoulos7741]

Superb tutorial (link from your email). I've had a limited knowledge of diminished chords but have never known how to use them as passing chords. Profuse thanks!!

[@chuaurunpui9515]

very helpful and interesting diminished chord tutorial vedio on guitar...

[@chathunliyanage7851]

Thank you antoine❤️🙏this helps me a lot.keep going🤘👍

[@AntoineMichaudGuitar]

You're welcome 😊

[@allentaylor3325]

I have yet to come across a better online guitar instructor. Bravo sir! Your videos are extremely entertaining and educational. Thank you for helping me finally understand and use these strange and beautiful chords.

[@AntoineMichaudGuitar]

Thank you 😊

[@DaVinci0963]

Thank-You Antoine!

[@AntoineMichaudGuitar]

You're welcome!

[@arjankanina7142]

You are the best 👍

[@smithfield06]

Great lesson thank you

[@AntoineMichaudGuitar]

My pleasure!

[@billyscrapper]

awesome !!

[@davidparker8242]

Wow I learned a lot in this video! Thanks!

[@AntoineMichaudGuitar]

Glad it was helpful, David!

[@EmpireOfLightTV]

What a great lesson!

[@AntoineMichaudGuitar]

Thanks! 😃

[@jopberlin]

Great job…. Thx

[@cristimz1659]

I saw a lot of video.. but this lesson is so solid i learned many technic. Thank you

[@AntoineMichaudGuitar]

I'm so glad! Thanks, Cris :-)

[@andreastaraldsen]

Thank you!

[@AntoineMichaudGuitar]

You're welcome!

[@sloppyjoe9665]

I have no idea if this is meaningful, but E is the relative minor to G major. G is the relative minor to B flat major. B flat is the relative minor to D flat major. And D flat is the relative minor to E. A way to name the notes in a diminished chord. Just an observation.

[@AntoineMichaudGuitar]

That works, because the relative minor to Major is always 3 frets away, so 3 semi-tones away, exactly like the distance between notes of a diminished triad. Great observation!

[@adamzukmusic4562]

The circle of minor thirds

[@victorcruz8488]

Hey sounds great! What about in manor chord progression!

[@carlosclaptrix]

I just tried different resolutions from diminished chords and found one progression useful: take the highest note of the dim chord as a 4th and resolve to the major 3rd one semitone below. eg: g# - b - d - f to C major.

[@AntoineMichaudGuitar]

Yeah that sounds great! To my ears it sounds like a juicy G7(b9) and then resolving on the root chord C.

[@DJAZfake]

@@AntoineMichaudGuitar It’s a G#º chord, which in the key of C major, fits better like a Bº chord, or the 7th degree (resolving directly to the tonic).

[@gentledistortion953]

Goddamn your channel is amazing. Thanks man!

[@AntoineMichaudGuitar]

I appreciate that! If you want to see other videos in that same style, I made a playlist here: kzbin.info/aero/PLoSMy0IpftFJwRtGvJrb3f8tE5LNAtsmD

[@garnilsen]

At our church we sing many gospel songs which uses a lot of diminished chords. You have helped me so much. Thank you for talking about the half diminished chords at the end. Do you plan on doing a video going into more in depth on the half diminished?

[@AntoineMichaudGuitar]

I could talk more about the half-diminished! Thanks for the suggestion

[@forester057]

Diminished is Scooby mystery music lol

[@timnolan3125]

Will take a few watches for it to sink in but this is great 👍

[@sniffrat3646]

You just taught this old dog a new trick! Cheers

[@maybe8205]

Really nice lesson I like the explanation of the full diminished chord comes from the harmonization of a harmonic minor scale the most. But why is nobody talking about augmented chords and their relation to diminished chords? I like to use them after playing minor 7 chords or as spicy blues triads in a minor 7 blues. For my ears they even have less tension in combination to a minor 7 chord. They also give me that Portisthead or Frank Ocean feeling... to make it short I love them after loosing the fear of them. Maybe you can talk one day about them? Thank you so far. You making things way more clear and thats for free. Keep up the very good work!

[@AntoineMichaudGuitar]

Thanks! Augmented chords is on my list of lessons to make this year, so stay tuned!

[@maybe8205]

@@AntoineMichaudGuitar I will - for sure!

[@Kenji-ds9rf]

Does the chord sustain longer the way you shake the neck back and forth?

[@syedijlalofficial]

❤

[@basantadevganesh4383]

Are diminished chords and dominant chords same thing?

[@davidlegalley1161]

👍🏾👍🏼

[@danqodusk8140]

Very well presented! For those who didn't understand, learn how chords are constructed from scales. It's much simpler than you may imagine.

[@edwardarata6995]

where is the root on the diminished chords? you haven't made that clear

[@hdhsgshdsbwbz7840]

I don't even play guitar lmao

[@AntoineMichaudGuitar]

Oops, KZbin got it wrong with its suggestion! lol

[@mrmr314]

Give me your guitar. Post it to me.

[@edwardarata6995]

Don't want to be a shape player

[@rudolfhrcka1922]

The music is math how wondwerful and vice versa ……

[@guitawrizt]

*_Bruh- do You have any other Guitars You can showcase ?_*

[@iggykarpov]

Hey, Antoine - great explanation of the very beautiful and useful diminished chords. Thanks!

[@AntoineMichaudGuitar]

My pleasure!